CONVALESCENT HOME.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 16

CONVALESCENT HOME.

*;/ THE OPENING CEREMONY The formal opening of. the Convalescent Home took place on December 12. in the presence of a large number of visitors. The ceremony was performed by His Excellency the Governor, in the absence, through illness, of Lady Glasgow. ' THE HOME. :i The Home, which was actually opened a week ago, is situated on a block of land about two acres in extent, the gift of Mr Douglas McLean, of . Hawke s Bay, on the hio-h ground facing the harbour above Oriental Bay. The institution is managed by the following cojnmittee of ladies: — Mesdames E. B. Bristowe, J. Joseph, Newman, T. C. Williams and J. Myers, with Mrs J. P. Maxwell, as secretary, and Miss E. Izard, treasurer. , The Home is a substantial, comfortable building of one story, constructed"of wood with an iron roof, and has a verandah running along ‘-two sides, a part of which has been constructed so as to form a conservatory. The main entrance faces Shannon street, from which a road has been formed Through' the Town Belt. The institution can also be approached by way of Hay . street. ; -■ From the main, entrance a corridor runs the whole length of the building. On the left of this corridor are situated a smokingroom, four double bedrooms, a private sittingroom, the last apartment on this side being a comfortable parlour, 24ft by 20ft, with a fine bay window overlooking the harbour. To the right of the corridor are the bathrooms, scullery, larder, matron’s rooms, servants’, bedrooms, and a kitchen, 16 by 12, with an “ Eagle ” cooking range fitted up on the most approved principle and manufactured by Messrs Luke arid Son. The building has a high pressure hot water supply wherever required, and is lighted with electricity . throughout. It is also connected,, with ° the Telephone Exchange. As would be expected in; a building intended for convalescent patients, special attention has been given to ventilation and the V sanitary arrangements. The corridor, which is . well lighted and of a, good width, is very nicely set off with Verona figured dadoing, which is a material only recently introduced into the Colony. The day-room is also dadoed with the same material. The building has been well and substantially finished,/And reflects much credit on the architect, Mr F. Penty, and . .the contractors, Messrs Paterson and Martin, the clerk of works being Mr J.

Prince, the whole of whom carried out their work to the satisfaction of the Trustees.

A long, winding drive, which has been constructed under the supervision of Mr J. P. Maxwell, leads from Shannon street to the Home. THE FORMAL OPENING. Punctually at half-past 3 His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Ladies Dorothy and Alice Boyle and Major Elliot, Private Secretary, arrived, and was received by the Trustees, the Mayor, Dr Newman, Mr J. P. Maxwell, and others. After the party had inspected the building, an adjournment was made to the verandah. Mr J. P. Maxwell, on behalf of the Trustee's, expressed deep regret at the absence of Lady Glasgow, and at the cause of it, more especially as it had been owing to her active co-operation the work had been largely brought to its present position. The first attempt that was made to raise funds for the establishment of a Convalescent Home was in 1881, when Mrs Newman, the late Mr William FitzGerald, the late Mrs Robertson, the late Mrs J. E. Nathan, Dr Gillon and others raised a considerable sum of money by a ball, and later on a further sum was got by means of an art union. In 1892 another ball was got up, chiefly through the instrumentality of Mrs Newman, by which the funds were considerably increased. In 1893 Lady Glasgow presided at a meeting, and the result was a gift auction and bazaar, by which a further sum was raised. It was then considered there was sufficient money in hand to make a start with the building. A suitable site had been obtained through the generosity of Mr Douglas McLean, of Hawke’s Bay, consisting of two acres, admirably adapted for the purpose. The Trustees got this site in August, 1893, and in January last the City Council granted permission to make an approach to it through the Town Belt. The Trustees then found themselves in a position to go on with the erection of the building. He trust ed the City Council would before long give them a better approach. The treasurer had furnished him with the following statement of their funds and property Ball fund, <£2l6; bazaar fund, <£s4o; art union, <£so; land gift, <£Boo ; subscriptions, &c., <£4lo, which with the Government subsidy of .£1368 made a total of about <£3400. He wished to draw their attention to the gratifying fact that the amount raised privately exceeded the Government contribution. The expenditure up to the present time was made up as follows Land and approaches, .£270; house and'excavation, <£llßo. The Home would provide accommodation for eight adults and a child, and he believed that Lady Glasgow had been good enough to present them with a cot. After paying all expenses up to the present, there remained a fair sum on hand to form an endowment, which would return <£3o or <£4o a year. A large amount of personal services had been rendered. Messrs G. Thomas and Co. had been' a tower of strength, and gave their rooms free of charge and otherwise assisted. People from all parts of the district had also lent their aid, and more especially the Trustees had to thank the pi ess of Wellington for its generous assistance. He then asked Lord Glasgow to declare the Home open. (Applause.) . His Excellency, who was received with applause, said it gave him great pleasure to perform the pleasant duty, but he could not forget that he was taking the place of one who would perform the ceremony more gracefully than he could, and who had taken a great interest in the institution since her arrival in the Colony. He was charged by Lady Glasgow to say that she regretted very much she could not be present to open the institution. He thought Wellington was to be congratulated on having such a Home. It was indeed a great pleasure to see such a beautiful building on such a fine . site. He hoped that now the building was completed the institution would receive more assistance in the future than even in the past. They were most fortunate in getting such a healthy site. Mr J. E. Fitz Gerald, who had been living close by for a great many years, was a fine example of the healthiness of the climate, and he (the Governor) thought that in such a bracing air patients coming from the Hospital must soon recover their health. It was an important thing that patients should be made aware of the existence of the Home. They had reason to congratulate themselves on the figures placed before them by Mr Maxwell. As to the entrance to the road to the institution, he agreed that it could be improved with advantage, and he hoped they would be able to persuade the City Council to do so.' Mr Maxwell, in his address, did not allude to the fact that there were a number of subscriptions guaranteed for some years towards the maintenance of the Home, and no doubt that now attention had been drawn to the matter ’other donations would be made. Lord Glasgow then declared the Home open, and he wished it, from the bottom of his heart, every success. (Applause.) On the motion of the Mayor (Mr A. de B. Brandon), a hearty vote of thanks was given His Excellency. Dr Newman proposed a vote of thanks to Mr J. P. Maxwell for the great interest he had taken in supervising the work and in the professional advice given with reference to the construction of the roadway. This was seconded by Mrs T. C. Williams, and carried with applause.

His Excellency said that before concluding he wished to mention that the building was capable of enlargement, and he hoped that funds for the purpose would be soon available.

The company then drank afternoon tea, which had been provided by the lady friends of the institution.